President Pelton leaves a meaningful legacy. “Willamette has a long list of accomplishments under Pelton's leadership. It raised $131 million in a fundraising campaign, acquired more than 300 acres of forest, created four new academic centers, expanded graduate programs, increased the number of undergraduate faculty by 25 percent, and established a bridge program for economically disadvantaged and under-represented middle and high school students.”http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110516/NEWS/105160328/Pelton-leaves-positive-mark-university

Walter Robinson is celebrated as athlete, scholar and representative of Willamette. “Hundreds of other students will receive their diplomas today. Why is Robinson different? In many ways, he's not. Not at Willamette, a school whose motto ‘Not unto ourselves are we born’ is taken seriously by its students.”http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110515/COLUMN0301/105150330/1064

Olympian and alumnus Nick Symmonds returns to Oregon. “The Willamette University graduate was back on familiar ground Friday at the Oregon Twilight, participating in the distance medley relay for the Oregon Track Club Elite. ‘It's finally good to be back. I've been in Eugene for about three weeks all year,’ said Symmonds, who has spent most of the year training in Australia.”http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110507/SPORTS/105070340/Symmonds-puts-show